aright, his loss of polish and ignorance of alphabet or diploma need not by any means necessarily tie his feet to the earth nor impede his way to use. fulness, real growth and genuine greatness. Not only so, but the salt of truth and high motives, just and honorable actions, needs to be mixed in the clay every day of university life-all the days, especially, of boyhood and early manhood. The fire-place and hearth were big and old-fashioned. Mother was preparing the breakfast and we were to have batter cakes. Tasting them she said, "Oh, dear! they are spoiled, for I forgot to salt them." "Why, mother," said I, "sprinkle the salt on them." "No," she said, "to have good cakes you must mix the salt with the batter." The thought is not original but I adopt it. I have known a great many young men on whom the salt was only sprinkled, and very sparingly at that-in whose batter it was never mixed. So have you known them. There is the young man with splendid native ability who becomes a victim of wine and the dice cup; or another who passes his time a loafing sluggard, a little too proud to beg and too honest to steal-or one with his school shell still sticking to his back, struts around a full fledged political chanticleer proclaiming his fitness for any office big or little-unwilling to let his mental and political beard grow, cannot tarry at Jericho, but like Absalom of old sits at the gate and says, "Oh, that I were judge over Israel," or that I was representative or senator how quickly I would right all wrongs, how speedily I would repeal all rascally laws, make all the crooked places straight, relieve my afflicted constituents of the oppressions imposed by their dis honest officials and inaugurate a reign of prosperity such as the State never knew—or one of those hopeful dudes, with a blinking shirt-stud and cultivated goatee, who is always waiting for something to turn up instead of working like a true man to turn it up himself-who depends upon the money of his father, or his uncle, or his aunt, or his grandfather, rather than his own honest effort and gains-who wants to get a dollar without earning it or perhaps the do-less, listless young lady who pounds the life out of a piano, murders good tunes and spoils grand songs in the quiet of the parlor,-standing by her side a listless fop admir ing the music, or the pictures on the walls, not knowing one of Raphael's from that of a long haired Spaniard on a cigar box, nor one of Wagner's rich "harmonic complexities" from "Old Hundred," while the loving mother is drudging in kitchen, dining-room or attic- these and the like I have seen and so have you, and seeing them I have thought the salt was only sprinkled on them,-very little of it, that they need better batter and more thorough stirring, better salt and seasoning. No, no: the salt and that of the right kind must be mixed in our homes, in our schools, high as well as low, here as well as elsewhere. Good homes and honest and efficient schools - good government. Demoralized homes, careless teaching, professors indifferent to moral training, those who if they ever sprinkle the salt, never mix it in the batter of life :-a demoralized nation. From homes and schools march forth the standing armies of the country in peace and in war, and in this great work this university must well perform its part. Mix the salt, not sprinkle it alone. In a word, and finally, you need to make men, strong, vigorous, capable, honest. This is the great demand of the age, especially in this land, the greatest and most favored of earth. Increased opportunities multiply obligations and intensify duties. To meet these, may the God of our Fathers of Nations and the ages, give us men. Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands. Men whom the lusts of office do not kill; Men whom the spoils of office cannot buy ; Men who possess opinions and a will; Men who have honor - men who will not lie; Mcn who can stand before a demagogue, And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking. |